A standard wire-mesh cage trap, sized at least 24 x 7 x 7 inches, is the most practical way to catch a skunk on your property. Live cage traps are widely available, effective, and let you deal with the animal without direct contact. The real challenge isn’t catching the skunk. It’s doing everything around the catch correctly: choosing the right bait, placing the trap where it counts, and approaching the trapped animal without getting sprayed.
Which Trap Size and Style to Use
Two cage trap sizes work well for skunks. The smaller option measures 24 x 7 x 7 inches with double doors (7 x 7 inches each) and 1 x 1 inch wire mesh. This compact size naturally excludes larger animals like raccoons, which reduces the odds of catching something you didn’t intend to. The larger option measures 32 x 10 x 12.75 inches with a single 10 x 12 inch door and 1 x 2 inch mesh. Both use 12-gauge galvanized steel wire.
The smaller trap is often the better choice. Its tight dimensions make it harder for the skunk to turn around inside, which actually reduces the chance of getting sprayed during transport. Skunks need to raise their tail and aim to spray effectively, and a snug trap limits that movement. Whichever size you pick, look for a trap with a sensitive trigger plate. Skunks are lighter than raccoons, typically 6 to 10 pounds, and a stiff trigger may not trip when they step on it.
Covering the trap’s sides with a tarp, old towel, or dark cloth before you even set it serves two purposes. It makes the interior look more like a den entrance, which skunks find inviting. And if the trap fires while you’re away, the cover is already in place, keeping the skunk calmer and far less likely to spray.
Best Baits for Skunks
Skunks are opportunistic eaters drawn to strong-smelling, oily foods. The most reliable baits include:
- Eggs: whole, raw chicken eggs are a top choice, especially if skunks have already been raiding your coop
- Fish-flavored cat food: inexpensive and strongly scented
- Canned sardines or tuna: the oil carries scent well at night
- Crispy bacon: grease and aroma travel far
- Peanut butter on bread: sticky enough that the skunk has to work at it, keeping it on the trigger plate longer
- Marshmallows: a surprisingly effective option that won’t attract cats
Meat-based, oily foods with a strong odor are the common thread. If neighborhood cats are a concern, marshmallows or eggs are your best bet since cats typically ignore both. Place the bait behind the trigger plate so the skunk has to walk fully into the trap and step on the plate to reach the food.
Where to Place the Trap
Set the trap near the skunk’s den entrance or along the path it travels at night. Common den sites include spaces under porches, decks, sheds, and concrete stoops. You’ll often see a worn trail in the grass or loose soil kicked out near the opening. Position the trap directly in that travel path with the door facing the den entrance, so the skunk walks into it naturally as it leaves to forage after dark.
The trap must sit flat on the ground. Skunks are low to the ground and cautious about unstable surfaces. If the trap wobbles or rocks when they step on the entrance, they’ll back away. Press it into the soil slightly or place a board underneath on hard surfaces to keep it steady. Set the trap in the evening and check it first thing in the morning. Leaving a skunk trapped in daylight and heat causes unnecessary stress and increases the chance of spraying.
How to Approach a Trapped Skunk
This is the part people worry about most, and for good reason. But skunks give clear warnings before they spray. They stomp their front paws on the ground, hiss loudly, raise their tail straight up, and in some cases perform a handstand. If you see any of these signals, stop moving and wait. A calm skunk holds its tail down and stays relatively still.
If the trap isn’t already covered, you’ll need to drape a large cloth, tarp, or old blanket over it. Approach slowly and quietly from the covered side of the trap (if partially covered) or from whatever angle puts you least in the skunk’s line of sight. Hold the cloth in front of your body like a shield as you walk forward. When you’re close enough, gently lower the cloth over the entire cage. A long pole or stick can help you drape the cover from a safer distance.
Once covered, the skunk will typically settle down within a few minutes. The darkness mimics a den and reduces the animal’s stress response. You can then carefully pick up the trap by the handle or slide it onto a flat surface for transport. Move smoothly. Sudden jolts or loud noises are what trigger spraying, not slow, steady movement.
Releasing or Removing the Skunk
Before you load the trap into your car and drive to a park, know this: in many states, relocating a trapped skunk off your property is illegal. New York, for example, explicitly prohibits moving any trapped wildlife to parks, state land, or any location other than the property where it was caught. The reasoning is practical. Relocated skunks spread diseases like rabies to new areas, stress the animal, and simply push the problem onto someone else’s property. Some states also require that skunks taken outside of hunting or trapping season be euthanized and buried or cremated immediately. Regulations vary significantly by state, so check your local wildlife agency’s rules before trapping.
If you’re releasing the skunk on your own property (after sealing the den entrance so it can’t return), keep the trap covered and carry it to the release spot. Place a brick or similar object near the door to prop it open at least 5 inches. Then step back 20 feet or more and wait. The skunk will leave on its own once it realizes the exit is open. This whole process is much calmer than it sounds, provided the trap stays covered. Most skunks walk out without incident within 10 to 15 minutes.
If your local laws prohibit release or relocation, or if you’d rather not handle the situation yourself, contact a licensed nuisance wildlife control operator. These professionals carry the permits needed to trap and remove skunks legally and have the equipment to do it without a spray incident.
Preventing Skunks From Coming Back
Trapping solves the immediate problem, but if you don’t remove whatever attracted the skunk, another one will move in. Skunks are drawn to easy food sources: pet food left outside, open garbage cans, fallen fruit, and grubs in your lawn. They’re also looking for shelter, particularly the dark, undisturbed spaces beneath decks, porches, and sheds.
After the skunk is gone, seal den openings with heavy-gauge wire mesh or hardware cloth buried 6 to 12 inches below ground level to prevent digging. Install it in an L-shape, with the bottom of the mesh angled outward underground. Remove outdoor food sources after dark, keep garbage lids tight, and pick up any pet bowls before evening. Skunks are creatures of habit. If the food and shelter are gone, they’ll move along to somewhere easier.